Substance applicator

ABSTRACT

The invention is an applicator including a hollow body having a central longitudinal axis to hold a colored ink, a shoulder portion, a central recessed portion, and a base portion. The shoulder portion is located above and merging with the central recessed portion at an upper end thereof and includes a top wall having an opening. The base portion is located below and merges with the central recessed portion at a lower end thereof and includes a bottom wall. The central recessed portion has a smooth continuous sidewall formed as an oval with major and minor diameters. The central recessed portion merges with the sidewall portion of the shoulder portion at major upper flared surfaces and at minor upper flared surfaces. The major axis decreases uniformly toward the center. The minor axis has a substantially constant dimension.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to substance applicators or markers andparticularly to substance applicators for surfaces or items requiringthe application of a mark or coating thereon by persons, wherein thesubstance applicator is gripped and inverted by the person and force isapplied to the surface or item by way of the gripped and invertedsubstance applicator to apply the mark to the surface. Variousapplicators for use by persons to mark surfaces in this manner arecommercially available. Some particularly effective prior artapplicators are sold by the assignee of the subject invention, ClarenceJ. Venne, Inc. of Levittown, Pa., under the trademark DAB-O-INK, and areshown in the following U.S. Design Patent Nos. D274,697, D300,118,D303,926, D396,244, D389,365 and D138,621.

While many prior art substance applicators including those of theassignee of this invention, were suitable for their intended purposes,such applicators could nevertheless leave things to be desired from oneor more standpoints. For example, the prior art applicators could leavethings to be desired with respect to the economics of manufacturing and,importantly, with respect to ergonomics.

In particular, the prior art is not completely satisfactory with respectto providing ease of gripping for a person who wishes to comfortably andergonomically grip an applicator disposed in any one of a number ofdiffering rotational positions. This is useful, for example, when thenormal use of the applicator includes repeatedly disposing theapplicator upon a surface, either upright or laying down on its side,and picking it up again at a later time, possibly in a differentrotational position than the one in which it was originally releasedfrom the hand of the person.

However, when using the prior art applicators, it was often difficultfor the person to merely pick the applicator up from a surface and gripit in whichever rotational position it may have presented itself on thesurface and have his/her fingers rest against the surfaces of theapplicator with which they were in contact in a manner that preventedhis/her fingers and hand from becoming tired while using the applicator(for example, because of an awkward shape of the applicator).

Furthermore, it is desirable that such a grip of a applicator becomfortable both when the applicator is poised and awaiting use as anapplicator, and when it is used repeatedly to apply force to a card oritem to be marked. The grip is important because the applicators may begripped tightly for long periods of time and may be forcibly applied tothe card or item many times.

However, the prior art applicators have not been ergonomically designedand therefore can be awkward to hold while poised and/or while applyingink, thereby making it a tiring or even unpleasant experience to holdand use them for long periods of time. Thus, a properly designedapplicator should fit the hand of the user, as well as provide restinglocations for the fingers of the user while the user is gripping it,regardless of how it is griped and whether it is merely poised waitingto be used or actually being used to apply ink.

All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

2. Description of Related Art

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The applicator of the present invention is composed of a plasticmaterial which is molded (e.g., injection blow-molded or extrusion blowmolded) to form a hollow body having a central longitudinal axisextending vertically therethrough when the applicator is in its uprightstanding position, and a cap for being releasable secured to theapplicator. The hollow body of the applicator is arranged to hold asubstance for applying the substance to a surface. The applicator can beany bottle or container suitable for containing the substance to beapplied.

The applicator of the present invention includes a shoulder portion, apinched central recessed portion and a base portion. The shoulderportion of the applicator is located above the central recessed portionand includes a top wall having an opening therein. The base portion islocated below the central recessed portion and includes a bottom wall.The shoulder portion includes a sidewall portion of circular peripheryhaving a predetermined outside diameter measured perpendicular to thecentral longitudinal axis of the applicator.

The base portion includes a sidewall portion of circular peripheryhaving the same predetermined outside diameter measured perpendicular tothe same axis as the shoulder portion. The central recessed portionincludes a pinched oval side wall having a major axis and a minor axis.The major axis measured perpendicular to the central longitudinal accessdecreases in size from the top of the central recessed portion towardthe middle of the central recessed portion and from the bottom of thecentral recessed portion toward the middle thereof to provide thepinched feature of the applicator. The minor axis measured perpendicularto the central longitudinal axis is a lesser dimension than the majoraxis that is substantially constant.

The central region of the applicator merges with the side wall portionof the shoulder at two major upper flared surfaces that extend parallelto the major axis. The major upper flared surfaces are arranged toreceive the thumb of one hand of a person holding the applicator whenthe applicator is rotated into either of two diametrically opposingrotational positions and disposed in the crook between the thumb and theindex finger. The major upper flared surface opposing the upper-flaredsurface receiving the thumb is arranged to permit it to receive at leastpart of the middle finger of the hand if the person's grip on theapplicator disposes the middle finger against it.

The central region portion of the applicator also merges with the sidewall of the shoulder at two minor flared surfaces that extend parallelto the minor axis. The minor upper flared surfaces are arranged so thatone of them can receive the tip of the index finger of the personholding the applicator when the applicator is gripped in one of theforegoing two diametrically opposing rotational positions. Alternately,the person may choose to dispose his/her thumb and middle finger on theminor upper flared surfaces, depending on the rotational position of theapplicator when it is picked up, and depending on whether the personwants to rotate it into a different rotational position after picking itup. If the person wants to grip the applicator in this manner, the topof the person's index finger can be rested against either one of themajor upper flared surfaces.

Therefore, the invention is an applicator formed of a moldable plasticmaterial and including a hollow body having a central longitudinal axis,the hollow body being arranged to hold a substance therein for marking asurface, the body including a shoulder portion, a central recessedportion, and a base portion, the shoulder portion being located abovethe central recessed portion and merging with the central recessedportion at an upper end thereof and including a top wall having anopening therein, the base portion being located below the centralrecessed portion and merging with the central recessed portion at alower end thereof and including a bottom wall, the shoulder portionincluding a sidewall portion of circular periphery having a firstpredetermined outside diameter measured perpendicular to the centrallongitudinal axis, the base portion including a sidewall portion ofcircular periphery having the first predetermined outside diametermeasured perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis, the centralrecessed portion including a smooth continuous sidewall formed as anoval having a major outside diameter and a minor outside diameter, themajor outside diameter, central recessed portion of the body mergingwith the sidewall portion of the shoulder portion at major upper flaredsurfaces and at minor upper flared surfaces, having a dimension thatdecreases uniformly in the downward direction from the upper end of thecentral recessed portion and decreasing in the upward direction from thelower end of the central recessed portion to a minimum dimensionsubstantially at the middle of the central recessed portion, the minoroutside diameter having a dimension that is substantially constant fromthe bottom of the minor upper flared regions downward to the vicinity ofthe base portion, the major upper flared surfaces being shaped toreceive the thumb and middle finger of one hand of a person and theminor upper flared surfaces being shaped to receive the index finger ofthe hand of the person to enable the person to matingly hold theapplicator in diametrically opposed rotational positions and ispositioned to apply axial force to the applicator to be readily invertedto orient the applicator downward and to permit force readily to teapplied to the surface by way of the applicator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in conjunction with the followingdrawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the applicator of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the applicator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the applicator of FIG. 2approximately at the middle of the central recessed region thereof.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the applicator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the applicator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an expanded view of an upper flared portion of the applicatorof FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an expanded view of a lower flared portion of the applicatorof FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an expanded view of an upper portion of the applicator of FIG.1.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the applicator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an expanded view of an upper portion of the applicator ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is an expanded front view of an upper flared portion of theapplicator of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will be illustrated in more detail with reference to thefollowing example, but it should be understood that the presentinvention is not deemed to be limited thereto.

Referring now to various figures of the drawings where like referencenumerals refer to like parts, there is shown at 20 in FIGS. 1 and 2 asubstance applicator constructed in accordance with the subjectinvention. The substance applicator 20 can be a bottle or othercontainer adapted to contain a substance in the interior thereof for theapplication of the substance to a surface under the control of a user.The substance contained within the substance applicator 20 forapplication to the surface can be an ink, for example, for applying theink to a surface such as the surface of a bingo card or other type ofgame card. Additionally, the substance contained within the substanceapplicator 20 can be a shampoo, a dye, a conditioner or any other hairproducts, or substances for use in arts and crafts, such as glue. Thesubstance contained within the applicator 20 can also be a paint orinking substance such as window paint, poster paint, bathtub paint,blackboard paint or various types of childrens' paints, varnishes andother coatings. Furthermore, materials for use in an office environment,shoe polish, soap, cosmetics, nail polish, sealing agents, medicaments,or any substance suitable for applying the substance to a surface asdescribed herein can be applied to a surface using the substanceapplicator 20.

The substance applicator 20 basically comprises a hollow body 22 havingan opening 58 at the top thereof and threads 62 for receiving andsecuring a cap (not shown) and an applicator substance transferringdevice 26. The cap for the substance applicator 20 can be of anysuitable shape in the interest of aesthetics, providing it includesinterior threads for mating with the threads 62 of the applicator 20.

The structural details of the body 22 will be described later. Sufficeit to state that the body 22 of the substance applicator 20 includes alarge hollow interior space or cavity for receipt of the substancetherein as previously described. The substance transferring device 26 ofany conventional type that is used for the particular substance disposedwithin the applicator 20. The substance transferring device 26 insertedinto the opening 58 at the top of the applicator 20. Preferably thesubstance transferring device 26 inserted therein constitutes a springvalve device or other easy-flow device, such as included in theaforementioned DAB-O-INK bingo markers of Applicants' Assignee if thesubstance is an ink.

The substance within the interior of the applicator 20 is placed incommunication with the substance transferring device 26 when theapplicator 20 is inverted, so that when the applicator 20 with the capremoved is inverted and brought into forcible engagement with a surface(not shown) or other item to be marked, the substance transferringdevice 26 applies a mark to the surface or item. The mark can becircular or any other shape, depending on the substance within theapplicator 20 and the shape of the substance transferring device 26. Forexample, relatively smaller markings may be applied if the substance iseye makeup or another cosmetic. The substance applicator 20 is arrangedto be held in the crook formed between the thumb and index finger of ahand, with the thumb, index finger and middle finger of the hand restingon portions of the applicator 20, so that the applicator 20 can beinverted and manipulated like a pencil, pen, or other writinginstrument.

When the applicator 20 is no longer needed to mark a surface, the cap isthreadibly received by the threads 62, thereby sealing off the substancetransferring device 26 from the ambient air, and preventing thesubstance from drying out and/or allowing the substance in the cavity ofthe body 22 to leak, harden or evaporate.

The body 22 of the substance applicator 20 is formed of an suitableplastic material, which is preferably blow molded by extrusion orinjection, so that it is a unitary member of substantially uniform wallthickness. As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2 the body 22 of thesubstance applicator 20 is an elongated member having a centrallongitudinal axis 30 extending therethrough. The body 22 includes ashoulder portion 32, a base portion 34 and a central recessed portion36.

The shoulder portion 32 includes a cylindrically circular sidewall 38extending around the central longitudinal axis 30, and having apredetermined exterior diameter (e.g., approximately 1.665 inch (42.29mm), measured perpendicular to the central axis 30, a slightly concaveconical intermediate sidewall 40 extending up from the circular sidewall38, and a generally planar top wall 42 in one preferred embodimentadapted to contain approximately four ounces of substance. It will beunderstood that the applicator 20 can be adapted to contain otheramounts of substance and that the dimensions of the applicator 20 can beadjusted accordingly, as shown in more detail below, without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. The top wall 42 of theapplicator 20 includes an open circular neck centered about the centrallongitudinal axis 30. The helical thread 62 extends about the opencircular neck. The substance transfer device 26 can be mounted on thetop of the neck centered around the central longitudinal axis 30 in aconventional manner.

The base portion 34 of the applicator 20 includes a cylindricallycircular sidewall 48 extending around the axis 30 and havingsubstantially the same predetermined exterior diameter as the shoulderportion 32 measured perpendicular to the central axis 30. The baseportion 34 of the applicator 20 also includes a generally planar bottomwall 50. The applicator 20 can be stored by disposing it on a supportsurface (not shown) with its planar bottom wall 50 in engagementtherewith.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the fact that theshoulder portion 32 and the base portion 34 each include a circularsidewall 48 of the same outside diameter centered about the centrallongitudinal axis 30 enables the applicator 20 to be readily molded andremoved from the molding machine. Moreover, the substance applicator 20can be readily filled with substance during manufacturing regardless ofits orientation within a filling machine.

The intermediate portion 36 or central recessed portion 36 of theapplicator 20 is constructed and sized and provided with a pinched inshape to permit it to be ergonomically held within the crook between thethumb and index finger of one hand of the person holding the applicator20 when the applicator 20 is either poised for use or inverted and putinto use by applying it to a surface. For example, the applicator 20 canbe held like a pencil or pen in a plurality of different rotationalpositions to mark the surface of a bingo card or other item. To that endthe central recessed portion 36 is provided in the form of asubstantially oval sidewall.

The oval sidewall has major outside diameter, or axis, D1 that ismeasured perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 30. The ovalsidewall also has a minor outside diameter, or axis, D2 that is measuredperpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 30. The minor axis D1 isperpendicular to the major axis D2.

In order to provide the pinched shape for assisting a person whengripping the body 22, the major outside axis or diameter D1 decreases toa minimum dimension in the middle of the central recessed portion 36, asmost readily seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the upward direction from themiddle of the central recessed portion 36, the dimension of the majoraxis D1 increases and, in the preferred embodiment, approaches theoutside diameter of the sidewall 38 of the shoulder 32 in its upperregion.

In the downward direction from the middle of the central recessedportion 36, the dimension of the major axis D1 of the preferredembodiment increases and approaches the diameter of the sidewall 48 ofthe base portion 34 in its lower region. The minimum dimension of themajor axis D1 at the middle of the central recessed portion 36 can be1.291 inches (32.79 mm) measured perpendicular to the centrallongitudinal axis 30, in the preferred embodiment of the inventionadapted to contain approximately four ounces of substance.

In the same preferred embodiment, the minor outside axis diameter D2 isof a lesser dimension than the major outside diameter D1, approximately1.030 inch (26.16 mm). This feature ensures that the central recessedportion 36 is sufficiently narrow to enable it to be easily held withinthe crook between the thumb and the index finger, with the middle fingerpreferably resting upon the central recessed portion 36. This alsoenables the substance holding capacity of the applicator 20 to be largerthan if the central recessed portion 36 of the applicator 20 was ofcircular cylindrical shape having a single outside diameter equal to theminor outside diameter. The dimension of the minor axis D1 issubstantially constant over the length of the center of the body 22.

The oval shape of the central recessed portion 36 can also be useful forproviding two large viewing panels for one or more labels to be affixedthereto. In the preferred embodiment, the labels affixed to theapplicator 20 can be conventional adhesive labels, shrink wrappedlabels, or any other type of labels.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sidewalls of the central recessedportion 36 of the body 22 merge with the sidewall 38 of the shoulderportion 32 at two major upper flared surfaces 54 (parallel to the majoraxis D1) and two minor upper flared surfaces 60 (parallel to the minoraxis D2). The upper flared surfaces 54, 60 of the applicator 20 areadapted to cooperate to permit convenient mating of the substanceapplicator 20 with the hand of a person and ergometric use of theapplicator 20 when the applicator substance 20 is picked up in aplurality of different rotational positions and gripped, both while itis poised and ready for use, and when it is inverted to apply force to asurface to be marked.

Respective groups of ridges 70A and 70B can be provided on the two majorupper flared surfaces 54 of the central recessed portion 36 of theapplicator 20 iunmediately below the shoulder 32, i.e., the upper flaredportion of the recess. In one embodiment of the invention, there can befour ridges in each of the ridge groups 70A and 70B. The ridges of eachridge group 70A and 70B can be of graduated lengths that decrease in thedirection from the lowermost of the ridges to the uppermost as shown inFIG. 1.

Additionally, two ridge groups 72A and 72B of horizontally disposedridges can be provided in the central recessed portion 36 of theapplicator 20 immediately above the base portion 34. Furthermore, in analternate embodiment (not shown) ridges of graduated length can beprovided on the minor upper flared surfaces 60. In alternate embodimentsof the invention the major and minor upper flared surfaces 54, 60 can beformed as substantially smooth surfaces having no ridges.

The ridge groups 70A and 70B of the upper flared surfaces 54 and anyridges disposed on the minor upper flared surfaces 60 cooperate with theupper flared surfaces 54, 60 to facilitate the holding of the applicator20 by providing a more secure grip when the applicator 20 is invertedand used to apply a mark to a surface. In particular, for some personsthe ridges on the flared surfaces 54, 60 can serve as a deterrent togripping the applicator 20 too close to the shoulder 32 when invertingit for use, which action could result in a “top-heavy” feeling,particularly when the applicator 20 is completely full of substance.

Thus, the inclusion of the ridges 70A and 70B on the flared portions ofthe central recess immediately below the shoulder can provide a fingergrip to induce those persons to grip the central recessed portion of theapplicator 20 further toward the center of the applicator 20 when theapplicator 20 is very full. This avoids a “top heavy” feeling whilepermitting those persons to grip the applicator 20 on the ridges closerto the shoulder when the applicator 20 is less full (and hence lessprone to produce a “top heavy” feeling).

The height of the applicator 20 can be any dimension desired dependingon the amount of substance to be disposed therein. One particularlyeffective height to provide a capacity of approximately four ounces forink or other substance is approximately 6.596 inches (167.5 mm) from thebase wall 50 to the top of the opening the embodiment. It will beunderstood that substance applicators 20 adapted to contain otheramounts of substance for application to a surface can have differingdimensions, as previously described, including differing heights, D1 andD2.

Other sizes of the applicator 20 that are also contemplated within thescope of the invention but do not limit the scope of the invention areset forth below. For example, in one alternate embodiment of theinvention, adapted to contain approximately three ounces of substancefor application to a surface, the outside diameter of the cylindricallycircular sidewall 38 of the shoulder portion 32 extending around thecentral axis 30 can be approximately 1.540 inches (39.12 mm), the majoraxis D1 can be 1.226 inches (31.14 mm), the minor axis diameter D2 canbe approximately 1.030 inch (26.16 mm), and the height of the applicator20 can be approximately 5.540 inches (140.17 mm). It will be understoodthat applicators 20 containing substantially more than four ounces ofsubstance and substantially less than fifty milliliters of substance canbe provided.

In an additional alternate embodiment, adapted to contain approximatelyfifty milliliters of substance for application to a surface, the outsidediameter of cylindrically circular sidewall 38 can be approximately1.285 inches (32.64 mm) and the major axis D1 can be 1.124 inches (28.55mm). The minor outside axis diameter D2 of the substance applicator 20can be approximately 0.750 inch (1.905 mm) and the height of thesubstance applicator 20 can be approximately 4.789 inches (121.5 mm). Itwill be understood that applicators 20 containing substantially morethan four ounces of substance and substantially less than fiftymilliliters of substance can be provided.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference tospecific examples thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof.

1. An applicator, said applicator being formed of a moldable plasticmaterial and comprising a hollow body having a central longitudinalaxis, said hollow body being arranged to hold a substance therein, saidbody including a shoulder portion, a central-recessed portion, and abase portion, said shoulder portion being located above said centralrecessed portion and merging with said central recessed portion at anupper end thereof and including a top wall having an opening therein,said base portion being located below said central recessed portion andmerging with said central recessed portion at a lower end thereof andincluding a bottom wall, said shoulder portion including a sidewallportion of circular periphery having a first predetermined outsidediameter measured perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis, saidbase portion including a sidewall portion of circular periphery havingsaid first predetermined outside diameter measured perpendicular to saidcentral longitudinal axis, said central recessed portion including asmooth continuous sidewall formed as an oval having a major outsidediameter and a minor outside diameter, said major outside diameter, saidcentral recessed portion of said body merging with said sidewall portionof said shoulder portion at major upper flared surfaces and at minorupper flared surfaces, said major outside diameter having a dimensionthat decreases uniformly in the downward direction from said upper endof said central recessed portion and decreases uniformly in the upwarddirection from said lower end of said central recessed portion to aminimum dimension substantially at the middle of said central recessedportion, said minor outside diameter having a dimension that issubstantially constant from the bottom of said minor upper flaredregions downward to the vicinity of said base portion, said major upperflared surfaces being shaped to receive the thumb and middle finger ofone hand of a person and said minor upper flared surfaces being shapedto receive the index finger of said hand of said person to enable saidperson to matingly hold said applicator in diametrically opposedrotational positions and is positioned to apply axial force to saidapplicator to be readily inverted to orient said applicator downward andto permit force readily to be applied to said surface by way of saidapplicator.
 2. The applicator of claim 1 adapted to receive the indexfinger of said hand of said person to permit said person to hold saidapplicator wherein said minimum dimension of said major outside diameteris approximately 1.291 inches (32.79 mm) measured perpendicular to saidcentral longitudinal axis.
 3. The applicator of claim 2 wherein saidoutside minor outside diameter is approximately 1.030 inches (26.16 mm)measured perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis.
 4. Theapplicator of claim 1 adapted to receive the index finger of said handof said person to permit said person to hold said applicator whereinsaid minimum dimension of said major outside diameter is approximately1.226 inches (31.14 mm) measured perpendicular to said centrallongitudinal axis.
 5. The applicator of claim 4 wherein said outsideminor outside diameter is approximately 1.030 inches (26.16 mm) measuredperpendicular to said central longitudinal axis.
 6. The applicator ofclaim 1 adapted to receive the index finger of said hand of said personto permit said person to hold said applicator wherein said minimumdimension of said major outside diameter is approximately 1.124 inches(28.55 mm) measured perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis. 7.The applicator of claim 6 wherein said outside minor outside diameter isapproximately 0.075 inches (1.905 mm) measured perpendicular to saidcentral longitudinal axis.
 8. The applicator of claim 1 wherein saidmajor upper flared surfaces are substantially smooth.
 9. The applicatorof claim 1 additionally comprising a first ridge disposed upon a firstone of said major upper flared surfaces.
 10. The applicator of claim 9additionally comprising a second ridge disposed upon a second majorupper flared surface of said major upper flared surfaces.
 11. Theapplicator of claim 10 additionally comprising respective pluralities ofridges disposed upon each of said first and second major upper flaredsurfaces.
 12. The applicator of claim 1 wherein said minor upper flaredsurfaces are formed as substantially smooth surfaces.
 13. The applicatorof claim 12 additionally comprising a third ridge disposed upon a firstminor flared surface.
 14. The applicator of claim 13 additionallycomprising a fourth ridge disposed upon a second minor flared surface.15. The applicator of claim 14 additionally comprising respectivepluralities of ridges disposed upon each of said first and second minorflared surfaces.
 16. The applicator of claim 1 additionally comprisingrespective pluralities of ridges disposed upon each of said major andminor upper flared surfaces.
 17. The applicator of claim 16 wherein saidridges of said respective pluralities of ridges extend across said majorand minor flared surfaces generally perpendicular to said centrallongitudinal axis.
 18. The applicator of claim 16, wherein said ridgesof said respective pluralities of ridges have graduated lengths.
 19. Theapplicator of claim 3 wherein said applicator has a height ofapproximately 6.596 inches (167.5 mm).
 20. The applicator of claim 5wherein said applicator has a height of approximately 5.540 inches(140.7 mm)
 21. The applicator of claim 7 wherein said applicator has aheight of approximately 4.789 inches (121.6 mm).
 22. The applicator ofclaim 1 wherein said central recessed portion of said sidewall mergeswith said sidewall of said base portion at lower flared surfaces, saidlower flared surfaces being similar in shape to said major upper flaredsurface.
 23. The applicator of claim I wherein said shoulder portionalso includes a conical surface terminating in said top wall, said topwall having a circular periphery centered about said centrallongitudinal axis.
 24. The applicator of claim 4 wherein said upperflared surfaces have concave arcuate surfaces for receiving the thumband the index finger of said person.
 25. The applicator of claim 1,wherein said substance within said body comprises ink.
 26. Theapplicator of claim 1, wherein said substance within said body comprisesa hair product.
 27. The applicator of claim 1, wherein said substancewithin said body comprises a paint.
 28. The applicator of claim 1,wherein said substance within said body comprises a soap.
 29. Theapplicator of claim 1, wherein said substance within said body comprisesa coating.
 30. The applicator of claim 1, wherein said substance withinsaid body comprises a cosmetic product.